Home / States / South Carolina

South Carolina security deposit: 30 days to get it back

The itemized written notice of deductions and any amount due must be sent within 30 days after the tenancy ends and possession is delivered and the tenant makes a demand, whichever is later.

What the law requires

Itemized statement: Any deduction from the deposit (for accrued rent and damages from the tenant's noncompliance) must be itemized in a written notice to the tenant together with the amount due, if any. No receipt thresholds in the section.
Forwarding address: The tenant must give the landlord a forwarding or new address in writing. If the tenant does not, and the landlord had no notice of the tenant's whereabouts and mailed the notice and money to the last known address, the tenant is not entitled to damages.
If the landlord breaks the rules: If the landlord fails to return the deposit with the required notice, the tenant may recover three times the amount wrongfully withheld plus reasonable attorney's fees. The statute does not add a bad-faith requirement.
Deposit cap: No statutory cap in § 27-40-410.
Small claims limit: $7,500 in Magistrates Court
Statute: S.C. Code Ann. § 27-40-410

If your landlord misses the deadline

Write down your dates and gather proof: move-out date, the date you gave your forwarding address, the deposit amount, and anything the landlord sent. Photos and receipts help.
Send a written demand by certified mail, keep the receipt, and cite S.C. Code Ann. § 27-40-410. Give a date to respond.
If you still aren't paid, file in Magistrates Court. Deposit claims up to $7,500 can be filed there, usually without a lawyer. Check the court's website for current filing fees and forms.

What a South Carolina demand letter looks like

Re: Demand for return of security deposit / Rental address: [Street address, unit, city, state ZIP]

Dear [Landlord name]:

I rented the property above from you under a lease that began on [lease start date]. I paid a security deposit of $[deposit amount] on [date paid]. I moved out and returned possession on [move-out date].

My forwarding address is [forwarding address]. Please send my deposit and any required statement to that address.

[A.] I have not received my deposit or an itemized statement of deductions. Under S.C. Code Ann. § 27-40-410, a landlord must return a tenant's security deposit, or send an itemized statement of any deductions, within 30 days after the tenant moves out and asks for the deposit in writing. That deadline passed on [deadline date].

Preview of the first part of letter one. Yellow marks the parts you fill in.

Common questions

How long does a landlord in South Carolina have to return a security deposit?

The itemized written notice of deductions and any amount due must be sent within 30 days after the tenancy ends and possession is delivered and the tenant makes a demand, whichever is later.

What happens if a South Carolina landlord keeps the deposit wrongfully?

If the landlord fails to return the deposit with the required notice, the tenant may recover three times the amount wrongfully withheld plus reasonable attorney's fees. The statute does not add a bad-faith requirement.

Do I have to give my South Carolina landlord a forwarding address?

The tenant must give the landlord a forwarding or new address in writing. If the tenant does not, and the landlord had no notice of the tenant's whereabouts and mailed the notice and money to the last known address, the tenant is not entitled to damages.

Where do I sue for my deposit in South Carolina?

Deposit claims up to $7,500 can be filed in Magistrates Court. Check the court's website for current filing fees and forms.

Other states

Rules reviewed October 2026. Laws change, so confirm with the statute before you rely on this page.